When people are expecting a baby, there are a ton of hopes, dreams, and fears that tangle together in so many breathless moments even before the baby is born. One of those moments is waiting for genetic and/or gender test results early on – tests that are suggested if you’re already high risk for one reason or another.
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Jessica Egan and her husband were waiting on those test results when she was 11 weeks pregnant because they had used IVF to get pregnant, and when they came back saying their daughter was going to be born with Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome), they fell apart.
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Down Syndrome occurs when, instead of receiving 23 pairs of chromosomes, a baby ends up with an extra copy (or partial copy) of chromosome 21 that leads to problems as the brain and physical features develop.
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After a few days, they picked themselves up and started to educate themselves on what, exactly, would be impacting their lives from the day their daughter was born.
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They contacted their local Down Syndrome foundation and learned everything they could, joined support groups with other parents, and found that instead of being devastated, they were excited about what the future would hold.
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And now, two months into parenting baby Gwendolyn, Jessica wrote a “review” of her baby that is going viral – with over 347,000 likes on Facebook.
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“When I placed my order I said, ‘Regular amount of chromosomes, please!’ That’s what everyone else got and what I wanted too. They called me shortly after my order was in production and said ‘Great news, we went ahead and upgraded you to extra chromosomes for free! You’ll receive the extra chromosomes with your completed order in 9 months.’ What?! I was mad!”
“All the other orders I had seen displayed via perfect Instagram posts did NOT have extra chromosomes. Well, I decided that receiving my order with extra chromosomes was better than not receiving an order at all, so I settled in to wait for this surprise upgrade to arrive. I have now had my order for two months and am writing this review to let others know the upgrade to extra chromosomes is amazing!! If offered, definitely take it! I posted some photos below of the finished product and you can see the extra chromosome is so worth it – it is extra cute, extra special, and extra-ordinary! So much extra joy. Would purchase again for sure.”
The feedback proves that community is everything when dealing with a frightening diagnosis like this. People have said that reading her words not only touched them but helped them come to terms with what they’re facing in a positive way.
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Like any new parents, the Egans in love with their baby, they want what’s best for her, and they worry over whether she’s meeting milestones on time. Their support group, their family, and their doctors are there for them, though, and they feel ready to take on the world.
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So will little Gwendolyn, I have no doubt.
Follow the family on Facebook and Instagram to see for yourself!